She drew in a breath, held it, then cried out, ecstasy lighting up her face as she came, her muscles contracting around his cock. He rode out her climax, driving her pleasure home with deep thrusts, then shattered, ecstasy shaking him apart.
*
Ellie lay back against Jesse in the sunken hot tub, her body replete, jets sending up streams of little bubbles around them. A big arm encircled her waist, his hand playing lazily with one of her breasts. The empty bottle of champagne sat on the floor within arm’s reach, two flutes beside it.
“Tell me your fantasies.” His voice was deep and sleepy.
“My fantasies? You mean like sexual fantasies?”
“Yeah. Tell me every secret, dirty detail.”
She found herself blushing—and she hadn’t said anything yet. She’d never talked about her fantasies with a man before. “Well, I liked that tonight—being tied up. It might be nice to be tied to the bed spread eagle, you know?”
“Mmm. Tell me more.”
“I’ve always wanted to be fucked up against the wall, but that would probably be hard work for you.”
“I’m hard just thinking about it.” He gave her a little nudge with his hips, revealing his erection. “Ever want to play doctor?”
“No. That would make me feel like I was at work, and, believe me, I think very differently about the human body when I’m at the hospital than I do when I’m with you. You don’t want to go there.”
He chuckled. “Got it.”
“I like it when you’re forceful.”
“Really?”
“I’ve thought about having you shave me.”
“You mean… here?” He reached down, cupped her.
“Yes.”
“Jesus.”
“And I like your bad-boy vibe.”
“My … what?”
“You know—the bad-boy vibe. Okay, so you’ve spent your life working as one of the good guys, but put you in black leather, and you’d look like a biker with those muscles and those tats.”
He seemed to find this funny. “Good to know.”
Chapter 17
A call from the front desk woke them both at five. Ellie whimpered in protest and snuggled deeper into Jesse. “I don’t want to.”
He chuckled. “I don’t think you have a choice.”
She didn’t. She dragged herself out of bed, her body pleasantly sore, and packed her things together, throwing on a pair of jeans and a sweater. By the time she was ready to go, he’d carried the leftover food to his SUV and had driven the vehicle around to the lodge’s door for her.
The sun hadn’t yet risen, tiny flakes drifting in a cold wind.
“More snow.”
Jesse grinned, as if this were good news. “Yeah. They’re saying we’ll get another six inches tonight.”
“That’s not so much.”
“That’s not what you were telling me last night.”
That made her laugh. “I bet you’re bigger than six inches.”
“I wasn’t going to point that out myself, but since you mentioned it...”
They arrived at her house to find Cedar and Claire ready to go and the twins still asleep. Jesse helped Claire out to the car while Cedar carried their overnight bags.
“Thanks.” Ellie gave her sister a kiss.
“You’re welcome.” Claire lowered her voice to a whisper. “Details.”
Ellie changed the sheets on her bed—again—and then crawled under the covers, Jesse joining her, the two of them still dressed. And for a while, they slept.
It was just after seven when a little voice woke Ellie.
“Mama?”
“You can sleep,” she said to Jesse. “I’ll get them changed and make breakfast.”
“You handle them. I’ll make the grub.”
It was almost like being a family—Ellie changing the twins’ wet diapers and getting them dressed, Jesse in the kitchen, the two of them sharing the work of getting the day on its feet. It was just one of many things she’d never gotten to experience because of Dan’s death.
She had no one with whom to share the day’s chores and responsibilities or all the cute little things Daisy and Daniel did each day, the funny things they said. Yes, her parents and sister helped, and she took lots of photos and talked about her day with Claire and her parents. But this past week with Jesse had shown her that it was very different to have someone in the house to live those moments with her.
She combed Daisy’s hair into pigtails, then followed the twins out to the kitchen. Full of energy, they chattered with each other and with Jesse, who probably couldn’t understand a word of their toddler talk.
“What are you making?” She peered over his shoulder.
“Scrambled eggs, pancakes, and coffee.” With his height and his broad shoulders, he dominated the small kitchen—and somehow managed to look sexy doing it.
In fifteen minutes, he had food on the table.
Ellie cut up the kids’ pancakes and drizzled them with maple syrup, then sat, the mingled scents making her mouth water. “This is amazing.”
He took a sip of coffee. “I guess I need to make breakfast for you more often.”
The idea that there might be more mornings like this warmed her like sunshine, but she hadn’t forgotten what he’d said about not being good with relationships or kids—or that he’d almost risked his life in a game of Russian roulette with a mountain.
Don’t pin your hopes on this, on him.